


The Ask and the Answer

by fmljustlex



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV), Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst, Denial of Feelings, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Secret Relationship, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:12:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11368560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmljustlex/pseuds/fmljustlex
Summary: A collection of my tumblr asks on fmljustlex. Themes, plots, lengths, rating, and extra characters vary, although each one is Justin x Alex. Any warnings will be added in the notes of each one, and feel free to leave your own asks in the comments. As I get more they will posted both here and on tumblr :)





	1. Are You Sure?

**Author's Note:**

> Ask: 'I kinda want Justlex smut. Please and thank you. But with top!Alex'
> 
> Warnings: Mild, awkwardly written smut as it is my first ever attempt.

Alex kisses Justin softly, his hand stroking his cheek lovingly as the older boy shuddered beneath him. “Alex,” Justin whines quietly, hands clutching at the Alex’s skin, both of their naked bodies covered in a light sheen of sweat.

Alex groans at the sound of his name, pressing his face into the brunette’s neck. He kisses and licks at it gently before sucking another mark into the skin. He whispers again, “Are you sure?”

A hand cups his cheek and his head’s tilted up until he can meet Justin’s eyes; they’re hooded and dark, pupils blown wide as he looks up at him, and his heart thumps wildly in his chest. Justin gives him a lazy grin, thumb stroking over his jaw and every inch of his body in line with his. He pulls Alex back into a deep kiss, lips moving languidly and tongues dancing before he pushes back and whispers against his mouth. “Positive. I love you,” he murmurs, kissing him again. “I want you.”

Alex feels the last of his resolve slip away as Justin’s hips rock up against him. Alex presses a hard kiss to his lips, smothering his satisfied grin before moving to nip at his ear.

“Turn around,” he orders him. 

Justin’s eyes widen but he nods, leaning up to peck the blonde’s lips before he moves off him. He flips over, bracing himself on elbows and knees on top of Alex’s soft sheets. 

Alex watches in awed fascination. His eyes trail over his boyfriend’s dark head, dipped down towards the bed, hair soft and unruly due to Alex’s hands; down to the curve of his shoulders and arms, biceps and forearms tense, pressing down into the sheets; and along the slope of his back, down over his legs and feet, all strong and still and waiting.

He moves back over him, hands immediately reattaching themselves to his skin. He trails them up Justin’s sides, squeezing his shoulders before smoothing his hands back down his spine. He traces along his hips, over the curve of his cheeks and down the back of his thighs. 

Justin’s stance falters and he groans, arching into Alex’s touch. “Come on, Standall.” Alex smirks slightly, but moves his hands back to the jock’s sides, gripping tightly and leaning forward to plant a kiss on his back. 

They both let out a moan when he finally joins them together. Justin’s head sinks forward into the pillows, all his muscles tensing as he adjusts to the feeling. Alex waits, slipping his arms under Justin’s waist and leaning until his chest was pressed to the other’s back. They move slowly as he relaxes, Alex peppering light kisses across his shoulders. 

Alex gasps when he pushes back against him, and he’s suddenly very glad his family’s never home. He kisses his boyfriend’s neck, nosing gently at his hair in a silent question. 

Justin turns his head to look at him and Alex presses a soft kiss to his lips. He leans his cheek against the pillow as Alex runs a hand through his hair. “I’m okay,” he breathes, and he is, especially now, seeing the younger boy just as wrecked as he feels.

Their movements become more stuttered and Alex reaches for Justin’s hand, untangling it from the sheet so he can twine their fingers together. Justin shudders and chokes out his name beneath him as Alex buries his head in his neck. He moans the other’s name in return as waves of pleasure crash over him and barely stops them from collapsing on the sheets, holding Justin tightly to his chest.

They lie tangled together in the bliss that follows, Alex curled in Justin’s arms as his hands card through his blonde hair. “I love you too, Foley,” he mumbles tiredly, smiling as he’s held tighter in return before he drifts into a peaceful sleep.


	2. No More Fights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'can you write a fic about Justin treating Alex's wounds after his fight with Monty? tHANK U SO MUCH'
> 
> No warnings really apply to this one, except some cursing

Alex went home after the meeting with the student council. He couldn’t stand being there, couldn’t stand what they had done, what they kept doing. He needed to get out, and he knew none of his family would be home anyway; he didn’t have to stay at school longer just to avoid their reactions. If they would even have any. If they cared.

He dragged a hand over his face and winced. He hadn’t seen himself in the aftermath, but he was sure it wasn’t pretty. He had gone to the boys’ restrooms in the school and wiped off the blood, but he gingerly touched the small cuts again now and sighed. They were bleeding again.

His left eye was also still swollen shut.

There was a knock at his door. He frowned, wondering who the hell was here and why they had bothered. He’d so hoped to be left alone.

He made his way through the hall reluctantly, pulling the door open with his mouth already prepared to tell them to go away. The words were coming up his throat when he registered just who was standing there, and they got caught behind his lips.

“Justin?”

The jock stared at him, and Alex shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He was suddenly hyper aware of how bad he must have actually looked, and Justin’s scrutinizing gaze was only making it worse. 

“Hey,” he said, softly, and Alex wondered if he was hallucinating. There was no way that Foley was speaking to him like that, no way he was here in the first place, never mind looking at him like he was now; soft and sad and angry all at the same time. It wasn’t a Justin expression at all, not directed at Alex, at least.

Alex stared at him for a moment before asking, very curiously, “What are you doing here? Don’t you have class right now?”

“Don’t you?” Justin retorted, brow raised and lips crooked in a half smirk before he was frowning again. His eyes trailed back over the blonde boy’s wounds, and Alex thought briefly that there was a trace of pain in them. “Can I come in?”

Alex rose both eyebrows at him but stepped back hesitantly, holding the door open for him. Justin stepped inside and waited for Alex to close the door before following the younger boy to his kitchen.

It was here Justin finally seemed to decide to voice his thoughts. “What the hell was that today?” 

Alex wrinkled his nose at him. “Did you seriously come here to give me a lecture? If you did, you can leave. I’m so done with all your threats and bullshit. It didn’t have anything to do with Hannah or the tapes so I don’t see what the fuck your problem is anyway. It’s not like I did any damage to your friend, either.”

“Yeah well it’s not fucking Monty I’m worried about,” Justin replied harshly.

Alex stared at him.

The brunette sighed, walking around the counter towards him. He stood in front of him, and Alex marveled at the realisation they’re almost the same height, that Justin’s barely an inch taller. He stood very still as the senior raised a hand to his face, and lightly brushed his fingertips under his bruised eye.

He flinched slightly and Justin let his hand drop. He realised then that he’s still bleeding slightly, the warm substance oozing slightly from the cut on his nose, his busted lip. He grimaced, feeling embarrassed suddenly. No wonder Justin kept staring at him like that. 

“Do you have a first aid kit?” Justin spoke again, causing Alex to look up at him incredulously. But he nodded, telling him it was in the bathroom cabinet under the sink, and wondering just how he had ended up in this situation. 

Justin nodded. “Sit,” he instructed him, pointing to the stool under the counter before leaving in search of Alex’s bathroom.

Alex sat, turning slightly when Justin came back, first aid box in hand. He came to stand in front of the blonde again silently, opening the box and setting it on the counter. He gently began to clean Alex’s wounds as ever muscle in the boy’s body sat tense. 

Justin resolutely avoided his eyes as Alex stared up at him, wishing one of his eyes wasn’t swollen shut right now and that he could take in the boy before him in all the strangeness of this moment. 

The jock’s brow furrowed as he finished cleaning the cut on Alex’s nose. “Don’t you have an icepack or something?” Alex shook his head as Justin’s hand moved to the cut on his lip.

He watched with rapt attention as the cloth brushed over his mouth, eyes trained on Justin’s profile. He took in the concentrated crease of his brow, his focused eyes; his soft lips, parted slightly with the tip of his tongue poking out at the corner.

Alex looked away just in time to see Justin’s eyes flick up to his own. “Are you gonna tell me what that was about now?” The bruised boy averted his gaze and Justin sighed. “Why the hell would you provoke Monty?”

“Like he needs much provoking.”

Justin dropped his hand at the boy’s mumble, giving him a look. He reached up again and touched his bruised cheek gently, waiting until he looked back up at him. “Alex.”

“Why do you even care?” Alex muttered grumpily. 

The brunette’s head dipped and he smiled slightly, looking back up at Alex through his lashes. “I asked first.” Alex scoffed at this and he laughed slightly, resuming his task of cleaning the blonde’s cuts.

He answered quietly, voice soft as he spoke. “There should be consequences.”

Justin paused, looking up at him and lifting the first aid box off the table, replacing its contents and closing the lid. “Thought you said it had nothing to do with Hannah and the tapes,” he said carefully.

“Who said it did?” Alex retorted. “I was the one that started the fight, it was my fault, yet Monty’s the one with the suspension? How the hell is that fair? Just cause I was the pathetic one who lost? It was my fault.”

His voice cracked slightly and Justin frowned. He had put a plaster over the boy’s nose but there wasn’t a lot he could do for his eye or lip, and whatever other injuries had been inflicted on him that he couldn’t see because of the clothes.

“You’re not pathetic, Standall,” he denied softly, setting the first aid box back on the counter to rest his hands on the smaller boy’s shoulders. “You don’t deserve, this. If either of us do, it’s me, and we both know it.”

Alex’s brows rose again. “Can’t argue with you there,” he stated under his breath.

Justin made an insulted noise but smiled slightly, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “This isn’t going to fix anything. No more fights,” he pleaded.

Blue eyes took him in carefully before Alex nodded, smiling sadly back. “No more fights.”


	3. It Already Hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Well cos u don't like smut how about that: Justin has feelings for Alex but he is too afraid to confess. But then he finds out that Alex is suicidal and he harms himself. Then he confesses to him.'
> 
> Warnings: Graphic depictions of self harm, suicidal character, and cursing.

Justin isn’t sure what exactly it is he feels for Standall. The problem is that he feels something, buried as deep under the outward annoyance as it may be. He can’t deny the feelings he has anymore–no matter how much they terrify him.

The problem is he’s no longer able to put on the annoyed front, hasn’t been for a while. He gave in to his emotions somewhat, allowing his guard to slip enough for the pair to rebuild the tentative friendship they had once shared, before the entire destruction of Hannah Baker and her tapes. 

Those tapes had broke down the friendship between the boys, the knowledge of what they had done revoking different reactions from everyone. Justin felt the full force of it after the blonde boy had listened to them, had come in the next day with a new darkness in his eyes and given the jock a look of such disappointment that it had almost broke him.

He knows Alex had never believed the lies Justin poorly constructed to protect himself, knows they had been a large part of what had ruined the strange friendship between them. But he needed them, needed Jess to believe them even more after that day and he was sure she was all he had left.

Justin thinks that might have been where he had found the strength to finally tell her the truth that night. The fact that Alex maybe didn’t hate him, that he’d let him in, that after everything he was still kind enough, still cared about Justin enough.

Alex had still taken him in after, had tugged him gently away and given him bundles of sheets and a pillow, laid out so close to the boy’s own bed in his room. Hadn’t made a single sarcastic comment at Justin’s tears, but lay there with him in the dark and silence.

They had regained a tentative friendship after that, and it had only allowed Justin’s feelings to grow. It had also made him even more unlikely to admit them to the blonde; he couldn’t let it take away what little they had.

Alex was sure to push him away if he knew; Justin liking him could only cause problems for the boy, just as it had for Jessica, and Hannah before that. He wasn’t good enough for Alex, but he’d be damned if he didn’t do whatever he could to protect the boy. 

Justin telling the blonde about his feelings wouldn’t do anything good for either of them. Justin didn’t even know if Alex was attracted to guys.

Every single one of those fears was thrown from his mind when he returns to the Standall’s to find Alex curled up on the kitchen floor, tears streaming from his beautiful blue eyes as sobs tore their way out of his throat and his arms clutched his stomach. Under them, his shirt is slowly staining with blood. 

Justin drops to his knees next to him, panic welling up in his chest as he reaches up to wipe away the younger’s tears. “Jesus, Standall, what the hell did you do?”

Anguished, sky coloured eyes look up at him. “It hurt,” he whispers, voice hoarse but wild. “It already hurt.”

“Christ, Alex, let me see.” Justin pries Alex’s hands away and drags up his shirt to see angry, bleeding lines cut in criss cross patterns across his stomach. He can make out lighter marks under the fresh ones, and realisation crashes into him. “Fuck,” he curses softly.

How had he not seen it before? It had been so obvious, all of it, a silent but desperate cry for help. The incident at Bryce’s pool, the fight with Monty, the sudden newfound interest in smoking. Of course Alex hadn’t been handling it. They had all noticed Jessica’s drinking–how had they missed this?

Because Alex had been hiding it. Because the boy wasn’t reckless; he hadn’t been dragging a blade over his wrist, hadn’t made scars that could be seen when he wore a t-shirt. He had hidden the visible evidence of his pain, and they’d all been too clueless to look for it.

Justin had been too clueless.

He stares at the blonde now, takes in his previous words. It already hurt. Alex’s stomach things. The pains no doctor he had been to had been able to help, much less stop. They had come back recently along with the whole mess, it was how Justin had found out, but he thought they had calmed down again.

Obviously, it didn’t matter. He feels a wave of pain run over him at the thought that even if Alex wasn’t in physical pain he couldn’t prevent, he was in so much pain mentally he felt the need to inflict it on himself.

Justin stands abruptly and goes to get a cloth from the counter. He brings it back, and presses it gently to Alex’s stomach, urging the bleeding to stop. He keeps his hand in place as he twists his body around to sit next to the boy, pulling him into his side. 

“Why?” he asks simply.

Alex leans into him, pressing his face into the brunette’s neck. “It’s my fault,” he says to Justin’s skin. “I don’t deserve to be here when she isn’t. I just hurt people. There has to be repercussions. No one cares anyway. No one will miss me.”

Justin looks down at him, feeling his own eyes water. “Shut the fuck up Standall,” he warns, eventually, pressing past the lump in his throat. “Do you seriously not see it? I don’t care if your dad kinda sucks sometimes. Your parents would miss you. Your brother. You’re the only one in our fucking group that Jensen actually likes. Man, even Jessica still cares about you.”

He powers on as Alex cuddles into him. “I’m pretty sure Dempsey would cry,” he forces a laugh. He knows it’s still not enough though, and his voice goes quiet as he continues.

“And what about me, Standall? What do you think I’m gonna do without you? And don’t think I’m talking about where I’m gonna fucking sleep. I love you, Alex. I’d be fucking lost without you. So if you thought you were gonna do this to yourself and I wouldn’t fight to stop you you’re gonna have to rethink things. I’ve fucked up before, and I’m not gonna do it again by losing you. You were right the other day in the cafeteria. If you kill yourself Standall, I die too. I fucking care.”

Justin only realises the admission is true when he says it. It’s scary to think it, but he’s pretty sure Alex is the only thing he’s got left. He knows his words aren’t enough to save him; he’s not stupid enough to think now Alex will just fall into his arms so he can kiss the pain away.

But Alex looks up at him now with wonder in his dry blue eyes, and softly presses his lips to Justin’s cheek. “I care about you, too,” he murmurs softly, leaning his head back on Justin’s shoulder. 

His hand comes up to cover the jock’s where it’s still pressing the cloth against his cut up stomach, and Justin thinks, just maybe, they’ll find their way out of this. That in the end, maybe Alex’s broken mind can be fixed, and somehow, they’ll both be okay.


	4. You're Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'could you write a fic where Alex and Justin are in a secret relationship and at a party, someone flirts with Alex and Justin gets jealous? only if u want!'
> 
> Warnings: Jealous Justin, and about a line of Bryce, I guess

Justin didn't even know why he was at this party. His friends had been talking about it all week, but as they stood in the house that night, he was sure they wouldn’t have even noticed if he left. 

He hadn’t been planning on going. Then he mentioned it to Alex, with the complete intention to tell the boy he wasn’t going, until the blonde said he was being dragged to the same one by Hannah and Jessica. Justin had deflated slightly at that; he’d much rather be curled up with Alex in the boy’s room, not here where they were completely separated. 

Then, Justin supposed, it was his own fault.

He loved being with Alex, he really did, and he knew how lucky he was to have him. The boy was beautiful and kind and hilarious with his sarcasm and snarky comments. 

He was also a boy.

Neither of the boys had ever ‘come out’, but it was both for different reasons. Alex had merely never felt the need–he liked who he liked and he didn’t really care what anyone thought about it, except maybe his father, Justin thought. For Justin, his feelings on the subject were a lot more complicated.

Justin didn’t have the best home life, and he needed the alternatives his friends provided. He didn’t think any of them were homophobic, and they all actually liked Alex, but he wasn’t sure they would let him stay in their houses if they thought he was gonna jump them in the middle of the night.

He wouldn’t, of course, but that was beside the point. 

Keeping their relationship to themselves had pretty much been Justin’s request and Alex had respected his decision. Although he hadn’t missed any of the younger boy’s hints. Alex had talked multiple times about wishing he could be with Justin all the time, and the jock would either stay silent, or agree and press a gentle kiss to his bleached hair, promising a ‘soon’ before changing the subject.

He regretted all those times now, as he stood with a beer that was still three quarters full while people danced and made out around him. He wished he could go to Alex just to talk to the boy. But he was nestled amongst a group of people Justin didn’t really know, and Hannah and Jessica, who definitely weren’t Justin’s biggest fans.

Justin watched sulkily from the corner until Alex caught his eye. The boy’s lips turned up in a smile and he winked before turning back to Hannah, nodding at something she said.

Justin felt his heart lighten.

He smiled slightly, taking another sip of the beer. He allowed himself to tune back into the conversation next to him, breaking his gaze away from Alex.

He was talking to Monty when his gaze drifted back to the blonde, only to find him sitting alone on the couch. He straightened–this was the perfect time to go to him. He made to make his way over when someone else dropped onto the sofa.

Justin paused, watching frozen as a dark haired boy Justin vaguely recognised from the jazz band turned towards Alex and swung his arm onto the cushions behind him. He watched as Alex smiled at them, as Jazz Band leaned in a little too close. 

He hadn’t noticed Bryce join them until his obnoxious voice sounded next to him. “Standall looks comfy,” he grinned, and Justin grit his teeth. He didn’t bother with a reply, taking one more long swig from his beer before setting it on the table next to him, and walking towards Alex with a newfound determination.

He was in front of the cosy looking pair in seconds, and Alex barely had time to look up in confusion before Justin was leaning down pressing his lips to the blonde’s. 

Alex made a surprised noise as Justin’s hands wove into his hair, but kissed back, giving a tug to the back of the senior’s thighs until he was on Alex’s lap, straddling him. He grinned as Alex slipped his hands around his waist, pulling him close and parting his soft lips against Justin’s own.

Justin vaguely heard a whoop that could only come from Zach and a loud whistle from Monty as he kissed his boyfriend hungrily. When he pulled away he was happy to note Jazz Band was gone, and Alex looked thoroughly kissed in his arms.

He was looking up at Justin with flushed cheeks, the blue in his eyes almost hidden by his blown pupils, and his septum ring glinting under the party lights. He cocked a brow, lips turning up in smug grin, causing Justin to smile inwardly.

“What was that for?” Alex asked quietly, hands slipping from Justin’s waist to rest on his thighs.

Justin shrugged, pressing his forehead against Alex’s as he admitted, “Jazz Band there was starting to get a little too confident.”

He watched, elated, as Alex tipped his head back and laughed at him, arms wrapping back around Justin’s waist. He was about to lean forward and kiss the younger boy again when he felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him quickly.

“Get in there Foley!” Monty shouted behind him as Zach grinned, and Jeff came up to ruffle Alex’s hair. He laughed now while Alex blushed, but smiled up at him, until Justin had to lean back in to kiss him again.

Alex allowed him to take charge before pulling back slightly to nip at Justin’s bottom lip. Justin let out a growl and Alex laughed, reaching up to massage the brunette’s neck. “There’s a lot of people watching,” Alex reminded him.

“Good,” Justin smiled. “Now all of them know you’re mine.”


	5. Took You Long Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'i love how you write about justlex, really, its amazing so.. i was wondering if you could write a fic where Alex is in love with Justin, but they're like bff and one night (they're both high) while Justin's talking about his hook ups, alex gets mad and confesses his feelings? (justin loves him too and he was trying to get him jealous)!'
> 
> Warning: substance abuse and jealous Alex :)

They were both stretched out on Alex’s couch, idly passing a bong between them. Alex was slumped in the middle with Justin next to him, the jock’s lower body sprawled across his lap. Justin was the current holder of the bong, had been for the majority of the time, Alex admitted, but they both felt the buzz, their minds and mouths loosened under the haze.

Alex tugged the bong from Justin’s hands, setting it on the coffee table before dropping his hands back onto the other boy’s jean clad legs. He watched as Justin tipped his head back against the arm of the sofa and lazily blew the smoke from his lips.

He watched unashamedly, eyes focused on the shape of his friend’s lips as the tendrils of smoke curled over them before drifting into the air. Justin breathed out a sigh and shifted slightly, Alex’s hands slipping over his thigh.

“It’s just a bunch of one night stands,” he was saying, and Alex hummed in reply. His eyes had taken the opportunity to trail along the curve of Justin’s throat while his head was still tipped against the sofa’s arm, and his attention was taken up by that. The slight tan to the senior’s skin, they way his Adam’s apple moved when he spoke, the tension in his veins when he shifted his head.

His attention was brought back to their conversation when Justin spoke again. “Hot one night stands, but still.”

Alex forced himself to bite back a groan of annoyance. He loved hanging out with Justin, honestly. The brunette had become his best friend over the recent months, and Alex could happily say the sentiment went both ways. He had mostly just been happy he’d seemingly pulled Justin away from Bryce. The guy gave him a bad feeling, and he was satisfied when Justin seemed to stop depending on him as much; Alex was there for him now instead.

But Alex was also happy for much more selfish reasons; Justin was cool and funny and good looking, but he was also sarcastic and smart and soft. Recently, Alex found himself a little in love with him. 

Hearing about all his recent hook-ups wasn’t exactly Alex’s favourite hobby. 

“You’re high and you decide to complain about having sex with hot people?” Alex couldn’t stop himself from asking, because he really thinks he deserves to know why he’s being subjected to this torture when he doesn’t exactly have a filter, and could easily end up saying–or doing–something he’d probably regret later.

Justin lifted his head and rolled his eyes. “I don’t always have sex with them.” Then he frowned. “Do I?”

Alex pressed the side of his face to the cushion behind him, looking at his friend with raised brows. “I don’t know, Jus. Probably.” He pushed down the bitterness inside him and watched as Justin frown deepened.

“That makes my point then.”

He curled his legs up in Alex’s lap while the blonde stared at him. “What exactly is your point?” 

“It’s like, I hook up with all these people, and then that’s it. There could be this really hot person, but we just, sleep with each other once and that’s it,” the jock sighed, like the thought seriously saddened him. “There is a couple I hooked up with twice though,” he added, seemingly as an afterthought.

Alex couldn’t stop the roll of his eyes this time, and he looked away in irritation. “I don’t see what the problem is. All these people wanna sleep with you, and of course they do, you’re hot, there’s probably a ton more than you’ve actually hooked up with, and you’re just complaining because it only happens the once? You know, if it bothers you that much, you could just stop hooking up with people.”

He knew as soon as the words came out of his mouth that his tone had been too hopeful. He let his head drop while Justin rose his eyebrows at him. The jock moved suddenly and Alex felt his breath on the side of his face when he spoke.

“You sure that’s the only reason you think I should stop, Standall?”

Alex grew suddenly determined (he pushed away the thought that ‘suddenly jealous’ would be more accurate), and turned back to Justin, pressing their lips together firmly.

Justin gasped against his mouth as Alex wound his hands into his hair before starting to kiss him back. Alex went slack with relief as the brunette prodded at his lips until they parted and rested a hand on the nape of his neck, thumb brushing the ends of his bleached hair.

He slowly leaned back until he was lying against the arm of the couch and Alex leaned with him, moving so he was hovering over him on his elbows. They kissed softly until Alex pulled away, and he grinned when Justin craned his neck in an attempt to follow. 

Justin smiled up at him, brushing his fingers through Alex’s hair. “Took you long enough.”

Alex stared down at him. “What?”

He kept staring as Justin’s smile widened. His hand fell from Alex’s hair to brush his knuckles along the boy’s cheek. “You’re not exactly subtle, Alex. I’ve been waiting for you to do that for the past month.”

The blonde gaped, pushing himself up onto his hands. “You knew?” Justin faltered slightly at the accusation in his voice, nodding sheepishly. “This whole time I’ve been in love with you, you knew and you didn’t do anything?”

Justiin’s eyes lit up. “You’re in love with me?”

Alex blushed when he realised what he had admitted, but he let out a scoff. “Yeah, asshole, and I still sat here listening to you talk about your hook ups like it was when annoying when sometimes I would kill to spend just one night with you.”

“Wow, Standall.” Justin was gazing up at him adoringly, and he shifted uncomfortably, embarrassed slightly at his honesty. But Justin spoke again and realisation sunk in. “I was only doing it to make you jealous. I haven’t hooked up with anyone in weeks cause I’ve been so hung up on you.”

Alex smiled slightly. “Seriously?”

Justin laughed. “Seriously. You can have more than one night, Standall. I’m in love with you, too.”

He was silenced when Alex leaned down to kiss him again and they both grinned against the other’s lips. It created a more pleasant haze than the drugs, and the realisation caused a second one to run through Justin’s mind.

“Next time we get high,” he murmured into Alex’s mouth, “we’re so doing it by shotgunning.”


	6. Just the Choker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Can you write something based on that pic of Miles Heizer wearing a choker that says "boy toy"'
> 
> Warning: Sexually frustrated Justin?

The first thing Justin notices when he walks into school is Alex. That isn’t unusual–the first person Justin looked for when he turned up anywhere was Alex–but this time it’s different. His eyes take in the blonde’s side profile and unusual bleached hair when he spots him with Zach at next to the lockers before they fall to the red band wrapped snuggly around his neck.

He looks at him and almost chokes because Alex is wearing a deep red, leather choker with a silver ring in the middle and the words ‘BOY TOY’ emblazoned in capitol letters across the front.

Justin can’t even find it in himself to be surprised. His boyfriend has always been fond of those particular accessories, and he’s not one to care about what people think, so he isn’t surprised it’s no different in school. But he may be slightly surprised that he chose one this bold. 

Slightly.

He keeps his pace slow as he walks towards them, hoping he’s able to compose himself before he actually gets there. But Zach notices him and smirks, and he knows he’s failing miserably.

He glares at the other jock when he’s only a few feet away just before Alex finally notices him and smiles. He comes to stand in front of them and Alex pulls him in to peck his lips softly. 

Justin can only smile at him dazedly, speechless now that he can see him so close. Alex smiles back, raising his eyebrows slightly. Justin realises he’d greeted him with a soft ‘hi’, and he tries to shake himself out of his daze, clearing his throat.

“Hey.”

The reply still comes out as a croak and Zach lets out a cough. It’s the kind you use to cover a laugh, and Justin resists the urge to glare at him again. The feat is made a lot easier by the fact he still can’t seem to tear his eyes away from Alex.

Alex’s brows raise further and he looks at him in concern. “Are you okay?”

Justin doesn’t trust himself to speak again, so he nods, smiling reassuringly. Zach is still grinning and Alex doesn’t look convinced, but the subject drops for the moment.

He doesn’t see Alex again until third period, where he turns up late. Alex gives him a small smile before he slips into the seat behind him, and he feels suddenly glad they don’t have any time to talk. 

The choker’s still snug around Alex’s neck, and even though Justin only has a view from the back, it immediately distracts him. He takes in the stark difference of the red against Alex’s light skin and the pale blonde of his hair; the spot where the chain’s fastened against the back of his neck, the extra links trailing down underneath the collar of his shirt.

He suddenly remembers the front of it, they way it looked when Alex smiled at him this morning–the ring in the center matching his septum piercing, the two short words eliciting wild thoughts and images in Justin’s mind.

He tips his head back and closes his eyes now, forcing back a frustrated groan and cursing his boyfriend’s good looks silently.

At lunch, Justin still can’t find it in himself to speak. He sits mostly silent at the cafeteria table, his arm around Alex’s shoulders and eyes constantly drifting to the damn choker. Zach is still smirking, and he knows Jeff and Monty had also caught on, the three of them grinning in amusement any time Justin tried to speak.

Justin ignores them, wondering how Alex himself hasn’t realised what he’s doing to him. His fingers itch to touch and he curls the arm he has around the younger boys neck, brushing the lettering on the choker with his fingertips. Alex’s expression doesn’t change, he isn’t paying any mind to Justin and it causes the senior to frown.

He decides it’s necessary, then, and reaches for the ring in the center. He flicks it, runs his fingers around the rim, and twists it through the hooks that keep it in place, turning it with his thumb and forefinger.

Alex either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, resting comfortably against Justin and talking to their friends before sitting up. “I have to get a book from my locker,” he tells them, using the table to push himself up and leaving Justin with his arm half hanging in the air.

As soon as Alex leaves the table, Monty starts laughing. He looks at Justin. “Dude,” he starts, still grinning, “you’re so whipped.” 

Justin flips him off and ignores them all as the others join is.

Once they’re in Alex’s room that evening with the door shut behind them Justin is pressing Alex against the wall and molding their lips together. The younger boy lets out a noise of surprise but kisses back, hands reaching up tangle in Justin’s hair. Justin’s own hands have a tight grip on Alex’s waist, holding him in place as he slips his tongue into his mouth.

His fingers play with the hem of Alex’s shirt before he slips his hands under, smoothing them over the soft skin as Alex shivers. They both lose their shirts quickly before Alex pushes him away slightly, looking at him in question, lips red and swollen.

Justin reaches up and hooks a finger in the ring of the choker, tugging it slightly. “I wanna see what you look like in this choker,” he tells him, and Alex’s brows furrow in confusion. Justin grins, pressing a kiss to his jaw before elaborating.

“Just the choker.”


	7. Let Me Show You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Idk if you do smut but if you do could you do smut with insecure!alex and body worshipper!justin'
> 
> Warning: No actual smut, but a lot of fluff

Justin doesn’t understand what’s wrong when Alex pulls away from him and ducks his head. But he stops, hands freezing at the hem of the younger boy’s shirt. He sits up, moving his hand to cup Alex’s jaw.

He strokes his thumb over his cheek and Alex leans into the touch, looking back up at him with a small smile.

“Is everything okay?” Justin asks hesitantly, because he’s suddenly worried it wasn’t, that he’d taken it too far. But he tells himself he couldn’t have, he didn’t even get to do anything. They’d made out shirtless before, had only done enough more than that to make sure they each had a few marks littered across their chests for a while to remind them of it. Admittedly, they’d both been slightly drunk at the time, but Alex had never given any indication he’d regretted it. Justin certainly doesn’t.

Alex nods, but he’s still avoiding Justin’s eyes. The jock decides to voice his thoughts.

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to push you, or anything. I just–we’ve done this before, I thought,” he trails off. “Never mind. Sorry.”

He makes to stand up but Alex’s hands latch on to his waist and pull him back down. The younger boy climbs into his lap and Justin sighs as Alex runs his hands through his dark hair. He tugs at the ends lightly, massaging his scalp and Justin leans into the touch, hands falling to Alex’s waist.

“No, it’s,” Alex starts to reassure him, voice quiet. “I–we were drunk.”

That does nothing to reassure the older boy. His brow furrows. “Did you not want to? I mean, I usually sleep shirtless, I didn’t really think anything of it.”

“Yeah, I see you shirtless,” Alex mumbles, blush light across his cheeks, and Justin suddenly gets it.

He wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and pulls him to his chest. Alex drops his head onto his shoulder and Justin reaches up to tangle his fingers in the strands of his bleached hair. “Alex,” he says softly. “You’re an idiot.”

The blonde lets out a scoff and pulls one of his hands from between them to smack Justin’s shoulder. The jock breathes out a laugh and presses a kiss to the younger’s cheek, before speaking in a more serious tone. “Are you really worried about me seeing you without a shirt?”

Alex burrowed further into him. “Maybe,” he mumbled.

Justin rubs his nose against the boy’s temple, hands smoothing over his back. “Why?”

“Because you’re, you. You’re all, hot, and toned, and stuff.”

Justin pulls back slightly and raises a brow at him. “Stuff,” he repeats. Alex avoids his eyes and he shakes his head. “And you think you’re not?” Alex doesn’t respond, and Justin pulls him back into his chest, frowning. “Do you really not know how beautiful you are?” he whispers.

Alex shrugs him off. “I’m skinny, and pale, and weird. I’m not exactly attractive.”

“No,” Justin agrees, watching as Alex sags slightly. “You’re perfect.” He cups Alex’s cheeks and when he can sense the boy’s about to argue again and directs his head until those blue eyes are looking at him. “You are. Let me show you.”

He presses their foreheads together, hand moving to cup Alex’s neck. The younger boy looks at him before slowly, he nods.

Justin grins then softly moulds their lips together. Alex responds immediately, twining his arms around Justin’s neck. His lips part under the brunette’s, allowing him entrance that the jock happily takes, running his tongue along the seam of Alex’s lips before slipping it into his mouth.

His hands move back down to grip Alex’s waist and he gently maneuvers them into the same position as before, resting on his forearms over the blonde while he lays on the pillow underneath him, never once detaching their lips. He allows the kiss to last a few moments longer before pulling away with one last brush of their lips.

He takes Alex’s hands from his neck and pins them under his own on the bed, looking at the younger boy reassuringly when he’s eyes widen.

“You can tell me to stop anytime. But if I let you distract me, this is going to be pointless.”

Alex grins up at him and stretches to peck his lips before dropping back down, relaxing into the sheets. Justin smiles back before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Alex’s nose.

The boy’s face scrunches up and Justin’s smile widens. He moves on to his forehead, then his cheeks.

He nips along his jaw to his ear, brushing his lips over the lobe lightly. Alex shivers and Justin presses his lips to the spot behind his ear, sucking his first mark into the skin.

He kisses on down his neck, grazing the skin occasionally with his teeth. He drags his tongue over the boy’s pulse point before nipping and sucking another mark there. He hears a gasp and presses a kiss to the darkened skin soothingly, moving over and repeating his track down the other side.

He bites a few more bruises across the blonde’s collarbone, taking his time with each one, licking over the skin apologetically.

He reaches the collar of Alex’s shirt and releases his hands to reach for the hem. Alex stiffens and he pauses, looking up so he can see his face.

His pupils are blown and his skin flushed from Justin’s treatments but his muscles are tense under him, and Justin starts to think maybe he still won’t listen to him.

But Alex gives him a helpless look and he can’t allow himself to give up. He gently takes the younger boy’s hands again, and moves them to the hem of his own shirt. Justin allows him to pull it over his head, shivering at the cold air that washes over his skin. He warms at Alex’s touch on his back, allowing it for a moment before pinning his hands back to the bed.

He waits until the younger boy nods again and reattaches their lips. He kisses him softly, slowly letting his hands move back to the hem of his shirt.

He keeps moving his lips against the blonde’s as he starts to drag the shirt up his sides. He lets his fingertips brush the skin as goes, skimming over his chest before he has to move away to pull it over Alex’s head. He throws it off to the side before letting his gaze fall to his boyfriend’s newly bared skin.

He flicks his eyes up to Alex’s to make sure he’s still okay only to find Alex already staring back at him intensely, gauging his reaction.

Justin looks away to rake his eyes over the other’s chest admiringly, licking his lips slightly at the faint and few but defined lines of his stomach. He looks back up to Alex’s eyes, slowly leaning down and pressing his lips to his chest.

Alex stares back at him as he starts to suck more marks into the new expanse of skin, kissing across his chest and shoulders while still holding their gaze. The younger boy’s eyes are wide, and he arches his back with a gasp when Justin’s tongue flicks over his nipple.

Justin smirks, breaking their gaze to admire his handiwork. He licks a line down Alex’s stomach, smiling at the moan it receives before peppering kisses everywhere, deciding to make a few more marks when his eyes land on sharp hipbones.

His hands are splayed over the boy’s ribs when he pulls away, but he moves them to his biceps. He traces over the thin muscles before squeezing appreciatively. He pecks Alex’s lips once more as his hands trail along his forearms. He wraps his hands around his thin wrists and pulls them up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to each before looking back down at Alex.

He smiles up at Justin, and leans up to kiss him softly. “Thank you.”


	8. You've Been Avoiding Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'could you write a fic like i said in the message: Hannah, Jessica and Alex are at school and they're talking about Alex's crush Justin (they hooked up at a party) and he freaked out when Justin goes to his table to ask him for a real date?'

Alex is surprised to find himself at their cafeteria table first. The girls are usually already sitting giggling by the time he gets here, and it throws him off a little to see it empty. He supposes it’s because he’s a little earlier than usual, considering he had been moving a little quicker between classes today.

He pushes the thought away and sets his lunch tray on the table, sliding on to the bench. He’s barely started picking at his food when a shadow falls over the table, and he looks up to see two evil grins.

He eyes them cautiously as they sit down. “Male,” Hannah greets happily.

Alex raises his brows, smiling slightly. “Females,” he replies.

Jessica leans forward and rests her chin on her fist. She grins at him as he shifts uncomfortably, and her grin widens. “You’re here early. Hiding from someone?”

He huffs, rolling his eyes. “Subtle, Jess.”

“Oh come on Alex, you know I don’t bother with subtle. You’ve avoided him all day, haven’t you?”

He looks down at table, brows rising and lips pursing. “Try all weekend.”

“Alex,” both girls scold him simultaneously and he rolls his eyes again. “At least we haven’t been the only ones you’ve ignored then,” Jessica mumbles.

“I’m sorry,” he sighs. “I knew you guys were gonna give a whole interrogation and I didn’t have anything to tell you.”

Hannah raises her brows as Jessica shakes her head and argues, “Oh I think you have plenty to tell us. Spill.”

Alex sighs again. He’d gone to Montgomery’s party on Friday, mainly because Zach had been bugging him about out and the girls had agreed with him instead of Alex when he tried to use them as an excuse. Hannah and Jessica had told him they weren’t going, that they were going to crash at Jessica’s with the company of Netflix instead, and Alex had hoped it would provide a way out for him. But they had told him to go when Zach had been bugging him about it again, and there was no way he could have argued with all three of them.

So he’d gone, and he’d ended up hooking up with Justin Foley.

Then when Justin crashed, he freaked, somehow managed to get himself home, and sent a slew of freaking out messages to his group chat with the girls and promptly fell asleep himself.

When he woke up the next morning to almost fifty all-capped messages from the group chat and a headache, he muted it for the rest of the weekend.

“Nothing even happened,” he mutters now, twirling a grape between his fingers.

Jessica gives him an unimpressed look. “So you started freaking out at two o’clock in the morning because nothing happened?”

“It was two o’clock for you guys. I started freaking out a good two hours before that,” Alex mends.

Hannah leans back in her seat, a tiny smirk tugging at her lips. “Two hours? Damn, Lex, you’re really holding back on us here.”

Alex flings a fry at her and blushes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Actually,” Jessica says in exasperation, “we don’t know, Alex, because you won’t tell us anything.”

“What do you want me to say?” He throws his hands up. “What, that I slept with Justin Foley? Well it’s not that exciting. We were talking, we went up to a room, we made out, he realised we were both kinda drunk, and he fell asleep. That’s it. I went home and text you guys, and I haven’t heard from him since.”

Hannah and Jessica stare at him. He shifts in his seat and waits. Then, Jessica whistles lowly. 

“Well are you surprised? You made out with him and then just left him there. Now you have a chance to see each other again, and you’ve spent the entire day avoiding him.”

“You’re being an idiot,” Hannah agrees. “No wonder he’s been a cross of a happy and mopey all day. He’s been walking around like a confused puppy.”

Alex sinks further into his seat.

“If nothing happened,” Jessica starts, “then that neat little mark on his neck, that’s not your doing?”

Their answer comes in the form of Alex blushing again. They were drunk, and his memory might be a little fuzzy, but there are some things he could never forget.

Like the feel of Justin’s hands on his waist, their mouths molded together, lips trailing over each other’s skin….

Alex shakes himself out of it just in time to see the girls’ eyes light up in unison, focused on something over his head. His brow furrows and he looks over his shoulder. His eyes catch on the figure coming towards them and he curses softly. 

He looks back at Hannah and Jessica with wide eyes, slowly shaking his head and looking at them pleadingly as they grin.

He feels a presence at his back and is certain the eyes trained on the top of his head are literally going to burn a hole their gaze is that intense. Jessica’s grin widens and she straightens. “Hey, Justin,” she says casually.

The jock moves to the side of the table, that damn smile on his lips as he nods at them. “Hi Jess. Baker.” Hannah gives a wave, still grinning. He turns to Alex, who immediately averts his gaze, ducking his head. “Alex.”

He mumbles a weak ‘hey’ in return. He sees Hannah stand suddenly and his gaze snaps back up.

She smiles innocently, stepping over the bench. “I just remembered I promised Clay I’d talk to him about something before lunch is over. See you guys later.”

She starts to walk away when Jessica lifts her tray, too. Alex tries to shake his head at her subtly but she ignores him. “And I’m gonna follow, cause I don’t care about cockblocking those two.” She smiles as Justin grins at her, patting Alex’s hand before walking after Hannah.

Alex glares at their backs before Justin slides on to the bench across from him, in the spot they’d just vacated, and he has to stop himself from ducking his head again.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Justin states.

“I–no,” Alex disagrees stupidly, the start of a blush creeping up his neck.

Justin crosses his arms on the table, looking at Alex with a ‘don’t bother’ expression. “Yes, you have. Why?”

Alex stays quiet and Justin hesitates before asking, “Is it about Friday? I–Do you regret it? Did I something wrong?”

Alex’s eyes widen. “No,” he blurts quickly. “It’s not–I just–I thought you would. Regret it. That’s why I left. I didn’t see any point in waiting to be rejected.”

“Alex,” Justin says softly, smiling. “I was the one who kissed you. If either of us should’ve been worried about rejection, it’s me.”

It’s at this moment Alex finds the mark Jessica mentioned. It’s a small purple bruise at the bottom of his neck, just peeking out from the collar of his shirt. He could’ve hidden it, Alex realises, and finds himself weirdly happy he didn’t.

“I like you, Standall,” Justin continues, quieter. “That’s why I asked Zach to convince you to come to the party in the first place. I know now I should’ve done it myself, and asked you out properly.”

Alex stares at him and he grins. “So. You wanna go out with me Standall? On a date, this time.”

His voice is nervous, and Alex thinks Justin is probably mad at himself because of it but he can’t help but find it adorable.

The blonde boy smiles, and watches as the other boy’s widens. “Yes, Justin. Of course I’ll go out with you.”


	9. Prom?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Can you write a fanfiction about Justin asking Alex to Prom? I love your oneshots so much'

Justin has no idea how he’s supposed to ask Alex to prom. He considered the ‘big gesture’, but he doesn’t think it’s something the blonde would be into. Alex has never exactly been a fan of too much attention, and while Justin doesn’t think he’d reject him, he also doesn’t think he’s appreciate too much. Plus, there’s the fact that asking him publicly like that would only make Alex say yes because he felt pressured, and that’s something Justin never wants to make him feel.

So he’s left full out of ideas a month before prom, and he has no idea what to do.

Even though he ruled out the idea of any grand gesture, he’d still like to make a small one. It doesn’t have to be big to be special, he tells himself, and there’s nothing more special to him than Alex.

But in honesty he still doesn’t know a lot about the boy. They’ve had some kind of thing between them for a while now, but they aren’t exactly official–even though they’re pretty obvious, and everyone else figured out their feelings before they did.

He wants to do something that Alex will remember, something that’ll make him happy. He just has no idea what that is.

The first people he consults are Zach and Monty.

There are a few reasons for this. Mainly, he thinks the boys would have ideas they had once used themselves, and that all the times they’d hung out with Alex recently would have given them some insight into what he’d like. 

“The fuck would I know,” is the response he gets from Monty. Justin deflates, slumping back into the boy’s couch. 

Zach rolls his eyes and pats Justin’s shoulder sympathetically. “Dude why don’t you just ask him? It’s not like he’s gonna say no.”

“Because,” Justin whines, “it has to be at least kind of special.”

Monty grins at him and kicks his feet up into his lap. Justin scowls, but doesn’t push them off. “Jesus, man, when did you become such a sap?”

Justin just shrugs as Zach looks down at them. “Okay so why don’t you just, get him flowers or something?”

At the suggestion, Justin wrinkles his nose. Does Alex even like flowers? He doesn’t know. Then, remembering he has no ideas of his own, he sighs. It’s worth a shot.

So when he turns up at the Standalls’ door with a bouquet behind his back, he’s glad it’s Alex who opens the door. He’s a little surprised, though, when Alex’s eyes widen and he looks distressed when he takes in Justin on his doorstep.

“Justin? What are you doing here?”

The jock grins, pulling the flowers from behind his back just as another voice comes from the hall. 

“Alex, honey, who is it?”

Justin freezes with the bouquet held in front of him just as Mrs Standall appears in the doorway. Alex looks between the two nervously, eyeing the flowers curiously. “It’s Justin. He was just,” the blonde trails off, giving Justin a look that asks ‘just what are you doing?’

“I just,” Justin wracks his brain before thrusting the flowers in Mrs Standall’s direction. “I just came to give you these. As a, uhm, thanks. For letting me stay the other night.”

The older woman’s eyes glitter as she smiles and takes the flowers from his hand. “That’s lovely of you, Justin. But you know you’re welcome here anytime.”

Justin gives her his charming grin. “Thank you, Mrs Standall. I should get going, though. I hope you like the flowers.” Alex gives him a strange look as his mother smiles, nodding and thanking him again as he turns to walk back down the driveway.

When the door closes behind him, he facepalms.

Next, he decides to asks Jeff.

“Chocolate,” the baseball player says immediately. Justin gives him a wary look and he shakes his head. “Swear. Alex loves chocolate.”

So Justin decides to roll with it. He buys a box of what Jeff claimed were Alex’s favourites and sticks a little note on the inside. He’s pretty happy with the idea, until Monty spots the box in his locker.

“Chocolate,” he grins like a madman, and before Justin can stop him, he has the box in his hands, two chocolates already stuffed in his mouth.

Justin stares at him, looking at the chocolate mournfully. Monty eats four more before looking up at him, and his eyes widen. “These were for Alex, weren’t they?” Justin nods mutely. He smiles sheepishly, handing the open box back to Justin. “Sorry, man.”

Justin slams his locker shut.

Now he’s desperate, and he reluctantly decides to ask Jensen.

“What?” Clay asks him.

He huffs, already impatient. “Do you know how I could ask Alex to prom?”

Clay looks at him for a moment, curiously. “Uhm. Have you tried the note in the locker thing? But like, with something meaningful on it.”

“Meaningful,” Justin nods. He claps Clay on the shoulder. “Thanks, man.”

He watches from around the corner the next day as Alex shuffles through his locker, pulls out a bunch of sheets, and crumples them up, throwing them in the bin. His heart breaks. The note got lost amidst the boy’s school sheets, and somehow he decided that was the day to ruthlessly clean out his locker.

Justin presses his face against the wall.

He’s way past desperate now, and it brings him to Hannah Baker and Jessica Davis. Alex’s two best friends–who, frankly, scare him to death.

They wear matching smirks after he asks them (begs, really) for any idea they have. 

Jessica shrugs. “He’s still going through the menu at Monet’s.”

Hannah nods. “Talk to Skye. She’ll know whatever’s next and help you out. She’s really good at the whole cream art thing.”

He thanks them, and puts his last option into action. Skye somehow manages to write ‘PROM?’ accompanied by a heart on the top of some outrageous coffee mixture when Justin takes Alex to the coffee shop after school. It’s the perfect plan, until Alex looks up at him with a smile as he’s walking to the table and he trips on the leg of a chair. 

Cream and coffee slosh over the rim of the cup onto the floor and Justin curses. His head droops, and Skye shakes her head forcefully when he gives her a pleading look.

Yeah, there’s no way she’s gonna spend twenty minutes doing that for him again.

By the time they get back to Alex’s the same day, Justin’s had enough. He looks at Alex with determination over his kitchen counter and thinks, fuck it.

“Alex, will you go to prom with me?”

Alex looks up at him, brows furrowed as he slowly sets down the plate in his hands. “I thought that was obvious.”

Justin stares at him. Then, he reaches over the counter, and punches the blonde boy in the shoulder.

“Ow,” Alex laughs. “What? I thought that would be a good thing.”

“I’ve been trying to find some special way to ask you all week, asshole,” Justin growls.

A small smile plays on Alex’s lips, his eyes shining. “You were?”

Justin sighs. “Yes,” he confirms loudly. “Did you really think I brought those flowers here for your mom? So then Jeff told me to get chocolate and Monty ate them. I put a note in your locker thanks to Jensen and you threw it in the trash with the rest. I got Skye to write it in your coffee after asking Jess and Hannah and then messed it up when I tripped. Then I decide to just ask you and you say it was obvious?”

Alex’s expression softens, and he comes around the counter towards him, reaching a hand up to cup the brunette’s cheek. 

“You did all that to try and ask me to prom?” he asks softly. Justin nods and he smiles slightly again. “How many of our friends did you go to?”

Justin rolls his eyes. “Too many. They all had dumb ideas anyway.”

Alex laughs lightly but shakes his head. “It was sweet. All of it. But it really would’ve been easier to just ask. I’m happy enough to just be going to prom with you, Justin.”

The older boy looks back at him in awe, before he smirks slightly. “So that’s a yes, then?”

“Yeah,” Alex laughs. “That’s a yes.” He leans up to kiss him, and Justin’s really glad he didn’t mess this one up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment to tell me what you guys think! :)


	10. I Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'alex/justin with protective justin? idk, like when he sees alex is talking to clay or tony or someone justin doesn't really trust'
> 
> Warnings: Language, protective Justin

Justin halts in his steps at the sight that greets him in the hallway. He stiffens, frozen in place as he watches Clay and Alex, sees the pain in Alex’s eyes that contradicts the blankness of his expression. He feels anger build in his chest and forces his feet back into motion.

Alex sees him when he’s a step away but Justin doesn’t look at him, stepping in between them with a hard expression.

“Everything okay, Jensen?”

“Justin,” Alex says lowly as Clay’s posture becomes defensive. Justin doesn’t change his stance. He keeps his eyes trained on Clay, shoulders tense with his back to Alex.

Clay smiles at him sarcastically. “Yeah, Justin, it’s great. It was really nice talking to an actual human being.”

Justin takes a step forward and feels Alex follow. The action makes him pause, and he forces his muscles to relax. “Yeah well maybe they don’t agree.”

“They can talk for themselves,” Alex mutters behind him, and he turns, expression softening.

“Zach’s looking for you in the cafeteria, Standall.”

Alex gives him a quizzical look. “Why?”

“The fuck should I know, are you gonna go or do you need me to hold your hand?” Justin asks harshly.

Alex doesn’t say anything but rolls his eyes, spinning on his heel and walking off down the hall. Justin turns back to Clay and he feels the anger bubbling up in him grow.

He steps forward until there’s only a few inches between them and looks down at him threateningly. “Look, Jensen, I don’t care if you get pissed at me with all the tapes bullshit but leave Alex the fuck out of it.”

Clay scoffs. “Are you seriously trying to act like you care?”

Justin raises a hand to grab the younger boy by the shirt but it stays in mid air before he forces it back to his side. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Alex is already beating himself up over this and he doesn’t need you helping him.”

“Are you?” Clay interrupts him.

He pauses, fists clenching at his sides. “Am I what?”

“Helping him.”

Justin’s stomach drops. He shakes it off, giving Clay one last hard look. “Just leave him the fuck alone.”

It’s two days before Justin feels that protectiveness surge up in him again, and his blood boils as he once again plants himself in front of Alex.

“Justin,” Tony nods, his face calm while every one of Justin’s nerves spark.

“Was this Jensen’s idea? I tell him to stay the fuck away so you come in instead?”

Tony raises a brow at him. “I’m not sure what you mean. You told Clay to do what?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Tony raises his hands innocently. “I was just talking to Alex about a class. I’m not here to cause any trouble.”

Justin doesn’t move until Alex sets a hand on his shoulder and tugs. He turns around to face the blonde who’s looking back at him with a fiery expression. “You wanna fill me in?”

Justin shifts on his feet. Alex stares at him defiantly and Clay’s words from before ring in his hand. His resolve disappears with a sigh. He looks around them, suddenly very aware of where they are, standing next to one of the benches outside the school in plain sight. People are already looking them, probably from his outburst at Tony and he looks back to Alex.

“Not here.”

They find an empty classroom and Justin shuts the door quietly, turning to find Alex already looking at him.

“What the hell is your problem?”

Justin sighs. “Alex-”

“Now with Tony, a couple days ago with Clay, what was all that bullshit, huh? You knew Zach wasn’t looking for me.”

Justin did know. He racks his brain for the words to explain this, but he’s not sure he knows himself. He saw them talking to Alex and he panicked, memories of the boy lying in Bryce’s pool swimming in his brain. He knows Alex isn’t okay, hasn’t been since he listened to those tapes, and whatever Clay or Tony were saying to him would only make it worse.

“The only reason Jensen ever talks to us is because of those fucking tapes. You don’t need all his bullshit in your head.”

“But I need yours?” Alex hisses at him.

Justin stiffens, before he glares. “The fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“What? You don’t want me talking to Clay and Tony because they’re the only other people that realise how fucked up this whole thing is? You’re scared that it’s your bullshit I’ll get fed up with and people might actually find out the truth.”

The accusation digs into Justin like a knife and his heart squeezes, his shoulders drooping.

“Alex, that-that’s not it, I’m trying to protect you.”

Alex’s brow furrows. “Protect me from what?”

Justin walks closer to him, hands moving at his sides, aching to reach out. “You already feel bad enough, I’m not gonna stand there and watch them make you feel worse.”

He can see it as Alex shuts down. His eyes harden again and he takes a step back, away from Justin.

“I don’t need you to ‘protect’ me. Clay actually used to be my friend, like I thought you were–like I wanted you to be, until I found out how much of a dick you are.”

Justin’s heart squeezes again. “And that’s why I don’t care what the fuck they say to me! Okay? I know I’m an asshole, I know how much I fucked up, how much I keep fucking up but you don’t. Yeah, the list was a shitty thing to do but you’re a good person and this whole thing sucks and I don’t care if you don’t want me to protect you because I’m gonna keep doing it anyway.”

Alex stares at him and he lets out a breath. “Maybe you don’t care about me anymore and me being a dick to you recently hasn’t helped but I still care.”

Alex keeps staring at him for a moment before his gaze drops to the floor. “You really have been a dick.”

Justin releases a small laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. But it’s cause I am a dick. You don’t need my bullshit in your head either.”

“You’re gonna use the same excuse?” Alex looks up at him now, and there’s a small smile on his lips. “Protecting me from yourself?”

The jock shrugs, scuffing his foot across the floor. “Would you believe it if I did?” He grins.

Alex shakes his head, reaching a hand up to push it through his bleached hair. “I’m sorry for going off at you. It was true, but I’m sorry. This whole thing sucks for you too.”

“Yeah,” he agrees softly. “But I deserve it. Can you just, promise me something?” Alex looks at him curiously. “Just, don’t listen to their bullshit? You couldn’t have saved her anymore than anyone else. If you say you can protect yourself then do it.”

Alex nods slowly. “Okay.”

“And talk to me,” he adds quietly. “When shit starts getting to your head. I won’t try and tell you what to do, I won’t say anything at all if you don’t want me to. Just promise you’ll talk to me.”

The offer’s the most he can do. He knows it still mightn’t be enough and he’s not sure he can handle the stuff in Alex’s head but this time he doesn’t care. This time, Alex smiles.

“I promise.”


	11. I Got You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Could you write something about Alex taking care of Justin's wound after he's abused by Seth? I love your stories btw'
> 
> Warnings: Mentions of abuse/substance abuse

Justin’s eating when Alex sees the marks. He can make out the faint red lines across the skin of his neck, thick like fingerprints and he freezes.

He pushes himself off the counter and moves towards the boy, standing in front of him. Justin doesn’t look up, just keeps eating as Alex tries to think of the best way to go about this. He knows the jock doesn’t have the best home life, but that’s about as far as his knowledge goes. They’re not exactly close, and he’s not sure Justin would even tell him if he asked, doesn’t even want to ask because it isn’t his place.

He doesn’t want to upset him, but those marks look like they hurt and he can’t just do nothing.

He reaches up and touches the skin lightly. Justin flinches, eyes shooting up to meet Alex’s. The blonde looks back at him calmly, thumb brushing over the bruise just under his jaw.

Justin seems to relax into the touch, before he’s suddenly jerking himself away, hand coming up to cover the side of his neck. His eyes are trained on the floor, flitting back and forth and Alex’s heart aches.

“I think we have some kind of cream for that,” he says lightly. “I’m not sure what it’s like for the pain or whatever, but it’ll stop it bruising so much. I can go look for it. If you want.”

The older boy keeps his gaze on the floor and Alex thinks he’s going to turn the offer down. Then he gives the tiniest nod, and Alex smiles slightly.

“I’ll be back in a sec.”

He jogs up the stairs and into the bathroom, crouching down and rifling through the cabinet under the sink. He finds what he’s looking for and makes his way back down to the kitchen.

He comes in to see find Justin back picking at his food and inwardly decides to make him breakfast in the morning. The jock looks up at him and he holds up the tube of cream, waving it in an I-found-it manner. Justin averts his eyes again but sets his plate on the counter.

Alex steps up to him, squeezing some cream onto his fingertips. “You can keep eating if you want.”

Justin shrugs. “I’m fine.” Alex shrugs back, reaching up to rub the cream on to the bruises. “I can do it myself you know. I’m fine.”

Alex’s hand pauses, before he brings it back towards him and gives the jock a bored look. “No, you’re not. Now shut up.” Justin glares at him in return but stands still as Alex reaches up again.

He stiffens when Alex touches him but he can’t tell if it’s from the pain or the cold of the cream. He starts to massage it in gently and watches as the brunette slowly starts to relax.

“Is it working?” Alex asks him, working along one mark before squeezing out more cream.

Justin nods as Alex sets the tube on the table, freeing his hand so he can cup the other side of the jock’s neck, keeping him steady. “Yeah,” he answers softly, eyes trained on Alex’s face as he works.

The blonde nods to himself, not noticing Justin’s gaze as he moves onto the second bruise. “Good. That’s good.” He carries on silently for a moment before deciding to chance it. “It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it. But you can tell me. If you want to.”

Justin keeps watching him as he continues massaging his neck, feeling the pain ebb away under Alex’s fingers, the soothing chill of the cream. He swallows thickly and feels himself loosen, all his sharp anger softening while he watches the boy in front of him.

“My mom,” he starts softly, “she’s been, different, since my dad left. She’s always drinking or smoking and every time one guy fucks off she finds another. None of them ever like me much.”

Alex licks his lips, eyes still on Justin’s neck as he moves down to the next mark. “So, that’s what happened?” he asks quietly. “Your mom’s boyfriend?”

“Seth,” Justin confirms. “Bryce used to call him Meth Seth.”

Alex looks up at him in time to catch the pain in his eyes. He’s on the last mark now and he uses his other hand to squeeze the older boy’s shoulder. He knows they’re probably two of the people that have hurt Justin the most in his life, and he doesn’t know what else to do to help.

He’s rewarded with a sad smile before Justin continues.

“I thought he was really gonna kill me this time. But then my mom reminded him they have neighbours and he stopped. Guess he decided to just kick me out instead.”

His eyes squeeze shut. “My mom, she just stood there. I waited, I waited for her to say something, to tell him to get out instead but she just stood there. She did nothing.”

Alex is finished with the creams just as Justin stops speaking. He looks so sad and small with the pain in his eyes and the handprint still visible around his neck that Alex can’t help but continue to stroke the reddened skin softly.

Justin leans into the touch, hunching forward until his face is only about an inch from Alex’s shoulder.

“Does it feel better?”

The brunette nods silently, eyes drifting closed as Alex’s ministrations continue. His head droops and Alex uses the hand still on the back of his neck to drag him forward. He pulls him into a hug, softening when Justin’s arms immediately come around him in return.

Justin rests his head on his shoulder and Alex keeps his arms around his neck, stroking the ends of his hair with his fingertips. “Thanks, Standall.”

Alex leans his head against Justin’s, feeling his own eyes start to droop. He doesn’t know what this means or what they’re going to do after tonight, but he can’t let himself worry about it now. Now, they need sleep, and Alex is glad a place to do it is something he can provide.

“We’ll figure it out,” is all he can promise him, for the moment. “I got you.”


	12. It Suits You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'Your writing is amazing I'm in love...could you maybe write something about Alex letting his hair go back to its natural brown or maybe dying it back? I live for brunette!miles'

Justin has always loved Alex’s hair. The bleached blonde strands that always look so soft, neatly styled atop his head. He’s always quietly admired it, admired the starkness of the colour and how easy it made picking the boy out in a crowd. 

He hadn’t seen Alex all summer. He’d been on holidays somewhere the entire time, and as much as Justin hates to admit it, he missed him. 

He lies on said boy’s bed now, arms flung out to his sides as he stares up at the ceiling. When Alex told him he wasn’t going to be here for the summer, his stomach had dropped. The thought of going home terrified him, but he didn’t really have any other options.

But before he could fully panic about it, Alex had quietly grabbed his hand. He’d pulled until it was held out, palm up, and dropped his spare key into Justin’s hand, wrapping his fingers over it. 

“Try not to break anything, or, burn the house down, or something. If you’re gonna smoke, do it somewhere else. There’s money for food in the pot in the kitchen. For food,” he’d stressed. “There’s some extra in the top drawer in my dresser. My bed will be empty, so use it.” 

His voice had softened then and he’d added, “Just, don’t starve while I’m gone, okay?” 

Justin had just nodded stupidly before he’d given in and pulled the blonde into a hug. “Thanks, Standall.” 

He’d managed to follow all Alex’s instructions, keeping the house–and himself–completely intact. He’d been bored, sure, but he felt too grateful that he actually had somewhere to stay to complain about it. He’d also managed to preserve a good sum of the money, only using it for a few grocery trips here and there when food choices were running low.

He hadn’t left the house much. He’d gone for a few walks, but he still didn’t have a car, so there wasn’t a lot he could do. He’d mostly kept himself occupied keeping the house the way the Standalls had left it (‘tidy’, yes, but his main aim was ‘standing’), and sending bundles of random messages and snaps to Alex. He was elated every time the boy replied with his usual sarcastic comments, or a snap or video of some big monument or just something he’d found funny.

But Alex wasn’t one to send pictures that included himself, and Justin felt weird about it, but he kinda missed his face.

Which gives the reason of Justin’s current impatient excitement–they’re coming home today. He grins at the ceiling at the thought of it. Alex had given him the times for their flight and Justin rechecks it, along with what time it is now, and concludes they should already be here. He breathes out a sigh and chucks the phone on the bed.

He drums his fingers against the sheets while he waits, and is about to check his phone again when he hears the rumble of a car outside.

He rolls himself off the bed and runs downstairs, opening the door just as Mr Standall’s coming up the drive. The older man smiles at him, bag slung over his shoulder and Justin opens the door wider to let him through.

“I see you managed to keep yourself in one piece.” Justin nods at him as Mrs Standall and Peter drag themselves in and he claps him on the shoulder. “Never doubted you could.”

“I did.”

The voice calls from outside and Justin whirls back to the door, smile on his lips even before he can find the blonde. His eyes land on a figure still next to the car and he pauses.

Alex looks up at him as he stands frozen in the doorway. “You just gonna stand there, or?”

Justin blinks and shakes himself out of it, jogging down the steps and to the car in time to take Alex’s bag from his hands. He stares at him the entire time, eyes trained on the back of his head as he takes the rest of their things from the boot. He pulls it shut and turns back around, and Justin takes the chance to take him in.

His once short light bleached hair falls over his forehead, soft brown locks brushing over his ears and curling at his neck. It’s exactly what gave Justin pause, but now up close there’s no mistaking the boy. His sharp blue eyes are bright and his septum piercing glints safely in place. There’s a small smile on his lips and his brows are raised, and Justin realises he’s still staring at him in the middle of the driveway.

He turns away and walks back towards the house, Alex right behind him.

They spend about half an hour all together, each of them telling Justin stories about the trip and asking him what he did while they were gone. He only shrugs, reverting the conversation back to their trip and ignoring Alex’s looks.

Justin’s happy when they finally make it back to Alex’s room, and the younger boy immediately collapses onto his bed. Justin smiles and drops down beside him. He smiles softly when Alex immediately rolls to his side, face only a few inches from his on the pillow.

Alex opens his eyes and smiles back, nudging Justin’s leg with his foot. “You okay?”

Justin nods, answering in a tone equally as soft. “I’m fine. Just missed you.” He brushes the backs of his fingers against Alex’s cheek, and watches his smile widen.

His eyes drift shut again and he hums. Justin watches him for a moment before he lets his hand move up to his hair, the brown strands curling around his fingers. It had been growing out before they left, and now the blonde’s been cut out completely, leaving the natural dark curls.

Alex peeks an eye open to look at him and finds his gaze focused on where his hand’s brushing through his hair.

“This is the way I used to have it before I moved here. I guess I dyed it as a sort of rebellious thing that I don’t really care about anymore. So I just, let it go back to how it was,” Alex explains.

Justin nods silently before realising Alex is waiting for him to say something. He clears his throat, hand stopping in its movements. “It’s uhm. It’s good.”

Alex raises a brow at him. “Good?”

“Yeah,” Justin nods again. “I mean, it suits you like this.”

It does. The darker colour sits nicely against his pale skin and makes his entire expression look softer. It also makes him look younger, and there’s more of it than there used to be, longer strands that fall over Justin’s fingers and he thinks he could just lay here and card his hands through it for hours.

He starts doing exactly that, fingertips dragging over the boy’s scalp and he lets his eyes slip shut again. Justin lets the locks run through his fingers, tracing a path back and forth above his ear.

Alex’s breathing slowly evens out and he smiles again, still brushing his hand through his hair. He shifts himself closer and Alex curls against his side as Justin lets him move his head so it’s lying on his shoulder. He wraps an arm around him and keeps the other hand in his hair, brushing through it soothingly.

He presses a kiss to the top of his head then rests his cheek on his hair. It’s softer than it used to be against his skin and his smile widens.

Yeah. It definitely suits him.


	13. A Little Too Close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'hello! you're truly a wonderful writer and i love how creative you are with your stories. i have a request for a small one shot if it's possible.... how about bryce (aka the scum of earth) getting a little too close to alex for justin's liking and justin snaps?'
> 
> Warnings: Bryce, language

It’s when Bryce gets a little too close.

It’s when he sits down next to him. It’s the way he sat so close they touch. It’s the look on Alex’s face as he tries to subtly shift away. It’s when Bryce doesn’t let him and lifts a hand to clasp his shoulder. It’s the look on Bryce’s face. It’s when he smiles.

That’s when Justin snaps.

He’s out of his seat in a second and everyone’s turning to look at him but he ignores them. He heads straight for Bryce, gritting his teeth at the stupid grin still on his face and then he’s grabbing him by the collar and dragging him from the sofa, away from Alex.

He lands on the floor and looks up at Justin in irritation. Justin glares down at him, and he does that smile again, pushing himself off the floor. “Dude, what the fuck are you doing?”

He goes to sit down next to Alex again and Justin moves between them, pushing him back. Bryce narrows his eyes. Justin takes a step towards him, and this time Bryce pushes him back.

He lands on his ass as Bryce drops back into his seat, and suddenly he’s back at the party.

He’s back at Jessica’s house and his head’s clogged, the alcohol slowing his mind as he pushes the door open. He’s being shoved back and he’s shouting and everything inside him is praying for it to stop but he falls. He falls and he lands on his ass, and all he can do is sit frozen with his head in his hands. He knows he’s crying and he should stop it, wants to stop it but he can’t move. He has to stop it.

But he doesn’t.

Now he’s still on the floor and Bryce is slinging his arm onto the back of the cushions, just a hint away from being on Alex’s shoulders.

Zach and Marcus are looking at him now in anticipation while Monty watches curiously, all of them silent and unmoving. Waiting.

Justin’s jaw clenches and Bryce rolls his eyes. “Jeez Justin if it annoys you that much just come join us,” and he drops his arm over Alex’s shoulders. Justin’s hands ball into fists as Alex tries to shrug him off but his grip only tightens.

Alex’s eyes flit to Justin before he attempts a laugh. “Come on, man, get off.”

But he won’t, and Justin knows it, which is why he’s already back on his feet and pulling Bryce back off the sofa.

He falls onto the floor again and Justin fumes, eyes burning down on him. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Bryce’s brow furrows and he gives a confused smile. “What the hell are you talking about, Justy? We’re just having a little fun.”

Justin crouches down and fists his hands in his shirt again, shoving against his chest as the other boys stand up around them. “You’re fucking disgusting, don’t fucking touch him!”

Zach and Monty start tugging at his arms but he only lets go when a light hand curls over his shoulder, another settling against his back.

“Justin, come on, leave it,” Alex tells him softly, and Justin lets the younger boy lead him backwards, away from the bastard on the floor. His gaze doesn’t leave him though until Alex moves in front of him, his hands coming to rest on his shoulders. “Come on, let’s just go, okay? It’s okay, we’ll go.”

Justin looks at him then and he looks back, curiosity in his eyes while the rest of his expression stays blank. He’s just waiting until they’re alone, Justin realises. Then he’ll ask.

Alex drives them to his house and lets them inside, leading Justin to the sitting room. He sits on the couch and Justin drops down next to him, keeping his eyes trained downward. He sees Alex turn to look at him out of the corner of his eye and he slumps further into the cushions.

“Thanks.”

Justin lifts his head. He looks over at the blonde boy. “What?”

Alex smiles slightly. “Bryce is a creep. I mean he was trying to piss you off and you let him but still. I’m glad you did it.”

Justin leans his head back against the cushions. “Then why’d you stop me?”

This time it’s Alex who looks down. “I know you’re mad at him and you’ve just been waiting for a reason to go off. Then I didn’t wanna see you get beat up defending me.”

Justin scoffs and Alex’s smile widens. He takes a moment to admire it, the way his lips curve and his eyes brighten a little. It hits him suddenly, and he realises there isn’t really anyone else he’d rather take a beating for.

“You don’t think I could take him? I’m glad you have so much faith in me, Standall.”

“I have faith in you, you’re just. You know, skinnier.”

Justin laughs. “I’m the skinny one? Seriously Standall, you’re one to talk.” He emphasizes his point by reaching out at poking Alex’s side, finger pressing just under his ribs.

“Shut up.” Alex shoves his hand away but he’s still smiling, and it’s enough to make Justin’s smile stay, too. “Why now? Bryce is like that everyday. What happened this time?”

Justin averts his gaze, shrugging. “It was different this time.”

He feels his heart beat faster as he waits for a response. Alex is still looking at him, and even though he isn’t looking back he can see his eyes soften, can sense it from the way when he speaks again, it’s quieter.

“What made it different?”

“You.” Justin looks up to find Alex staring at him. He sighs. “He was just, doing the whole thing on purpose. From the moment he sat down right next to you I just, I knew what he was doing. He’s happiest when he’s making them uncomfortable. And I couldn’t just sit there. I couldn’t sit there and watch that disgusting piece of shit touch someone else I care about.”

The anger’s back, rolling in his chest and down his veins, curling his hands at his sides. Alex is looking at him softly, then suddenly he moves. He shifts over on the sofa and presses against Justin’s side, leaning his head on his shoulder.

Justin stares down at him for a moment before he moves his arms to wrap around him. The blonde adjusts so he’s curled into Justin’s chest, comfortably encased in his arms.

The jock presses his face into his hair and takes comfort of the feeling of him solid and safe against him. “I had to do something. I couldn’t let him do it again. Not when it was you.” Alex nods slightly against his shoulder. In this moment, Justin has never been so thankful for him.

He knows the younger boy is letting Justin hold him for a reason. He didn’t just take his hand or give him a hug; he settled against him and let Justin be the one to touch. Because he doesn’t need Alex reassuring him it’s okay–he needs to reassure himself that Alex is. With Alex wrapped in his arms he can feel like he’s protecting him even if he doesn’t need to at the moment. He wants to, and Alex is going to let him.

“Bryce is a dick,” Alex mumbles suddenly, voice low and tired.

Justin laughs again. “Yeah, he is.” He slides his hand under the younger boy’s smaller one and locks their fingers together. He probably lost his one place to sleep, today. But he found this, and he thinks falling asleep with Standall on his sofa is a much better feeling anyway.


	14. Remember Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'always me! could u do a justlex fic, where alex and justin meet each others on hollidays and at september they have to say goodbye (but its has to end with a message where J or A says that he's here and he wants to stay bc he's in love with him plssssssss'
> 
> Warning: Mild Language

Alex looks up from his coffee at the sound of the bell over the door ringing. His eyes find the figure that just came in and widen.

He takes in dark hair and blue eyes, soft lips in a structured face. Strong shoulders are covered by a denim jacket that hides the rest of the muscles Alex is sure are also definitely underneath. He stares until the guy’s head turns and he quickly drags his gaze away.

He focuses back on his coffee, hands curving around the mug as he attempts to push away the image of the hot guy. He taps his fingers against it in boredom before a voice sounds next to him.

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

His head jerks up and he sees Hot Guy standing in front of him. He’s holding a coffee in one hand, the other placed on the back of the chair across the table, grin playing on his lips.

Alex sits up straighter in his seat and blinks. “Uh, no, go for it.”

He takes a quick glance around the place and finds plenty of empty tables, and his lips quirk up in a smile. Hot Guy’s now sat casually in the seat across from him, and Alex feels his breath catch now that he can actually take in his face.

He smiles, hands cupping his coffee in much the same way as Alex. “So, do you come here often?”

Alex stares at him for a second until Hot Guy buries his face in his hands and he starts to laugh. He hears a mumbled ‘oh my god’ and laughs harder as Hot Guy looks back up at him with a sheepish smile.

“That sounded so stupid, sorry. I just meant it like, literally. I’m here for the summer and I thought I’d probably need a lot good coffee place.”

Understanding seeps into Alex and he nods. “Monet’s is good. I mean it’s kind of the only coffee place though, so we usually don’t have much choice.” Hot Guy smiles again and looks back down at his coffee. Alex decides to be curious. “Your family chose a pretty small town to spend the summer in. Why here?”

Hot Guy’s smile slips a little and he doesn’t look back up at Alex. “I used to live here when I was little.”

“Ah,” Alex gets it. He gives a little smile and shrugs. “I didn’t.”

They sit for another silent moment before their eyes make contact again. The look at each other before that grin’s back and Hot Guy’s sticking out his hand.

“I’m Justin.”

Alex smiles, reaching his own hand out to take it. “Alex.”

It becomes a regular thing. Alex is sitting with a different coffee mix the next day when the bell over the door rings and his eyes find Justin’s. They both start showing up at their same times everyday and slowly they begin to learn each other.

Justin discovers Alex’s snark and sarcasm while Alex learns Justin’s jokes and excessive cursing. But they don’t let it go any deeper, until one day Justin’s leaving and Alex attempts to go with him.

“Where are you staying? I’ll walk you.”

But Justin shakes his head, eyes trained on their feet as they walk along the sidewalk. “Nah, you don’t have to. I gotta get my car and everything anyway, so–”

“So I’ll walk with you as far as your car,” Alex finishes.

Justin looks up at him and Alex gives him a nervous smile. His lips slowly curl up in a smile of their own and he shakes his head. “You’re so stubborn. Remind me again why I like you?”

Alex feels his heart flutter. He grins, knocking his shoulder against the brunette’s. “Because, I’m great. And I always let you get away with being a dick,” he adds, grin widening.

He gets a shove back in return as Justin scoffs.

He’s surprised when they end up at the park. Justin heads for a run down looking black car and Alex forces himself back into motion so he can follow. Justin turns around to face him when he reaches it and shoves his hands in his pocket. “This is me. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Alex doesn’t answer, still walking forward. “Alex,” Justin protests, hand reaching out to grab his arm but Alex brushes past him, looking through the windows of the car.

“Have you been sleeping in this?” There’s a duffel bag in the passenger seat and a blanket covers the three in the back, and Alex can make out a packet of beer stashed under the passenger seat.

He turns to look at Justin. “You’ve been sleeping in your car. Did you drive while drinking those?”

Justin rolls his eyes. “I’m not fucking stupid Alex it just, it helps me sleep.”

“You mean it knocks you out.”

“Does it matter?” Justin asks in exasperation. “Look it’s fine. I don’t really drive it anywhere and I didn’t bring a lot of money to be enough to put me up anymore along with whenever I have to eat.”

“What do you mean you didn’t? I thought you were here with your parents.”

Justin scoffs and Alex stares at him. Waiting. The older boy stares back before he lets out a sigh and leans back against the car, sliding down until he’s sitting on the ground. He drops his head into his hands and mumbles. “You weren’t supposed to find out.”

Alex keeps looking at him for a moment before he lowers himself down to sit next to him. He brings up his knees and rests his arms on top of them, waiting until Justin sighs again and mimics the position.

He tilts his head back so it rests against the car while Alex watches him. “My mom doesn’t really understand that job description. My dad left when I was really young, and she didn’t take it well. Ever since I was little I’ve taken care of myself, while she started drinking. It wasn’t that bad, until she decided alcohol wasn’t strong enough and started doing drugs too. I got a little older and followed in her footsteps.”

Alex sits silently as he shakes his head. “It only got worse when other guys started coming into it. She had all these asshole boyfriends that were stupid enough to do the drinks and drugs with her, then when they got fed up and left she was even worth. Sometimes it’s better for a while, when she finds someone but it also comes back to fucking Seth. He’s always the one that leaves the most damage.”

He unconsciously shifts closer to the blonde boy. “I got into plenty of fights but none of them ever left me with as many bruises as he did. Left me with this too.”

He pulls down the collar of his shirt to reveal a small jagged scar. He watches as Alex reaches a hand up and brushes his thumb over it softly. “One of his beer bottles.”

“He threw at you?” Alex asks incredulously. Justin nods, and Alex moves his hand to gently brush back his hair.

“I came to get away for a while. I’m pretty sure they haven’t even noticed.”

Alex pulls his hand back and frowns, feeling his heart break. “Why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known I wouldn’t have been letting sleep in your car. Honestly, I’m surprised this thing even runs.”

Justin laughs slightly. “It’s not like I was gonna ask to crash at your place. I barely even know you.”

“But you like me,” Alex reminds him, bumping his shoulder again. Justin smiles and he returns it. “I like you too. I would’ve let you stay with me.”

He stands up, brushing himself off before holding his hand out to pull the other boy up with him. “Really?”

Alex raps his hand on the top of the car. “My dad probably wouldn’t, so you’re gonna have to leave this here. Get your bag and let’s go.”

Justin does as he’s told.

For the next few weeks Alex manages to prevent anyone from seeing the makeshift bed on his floor. He makes sure his guest gets actual rest and slowly starts to get them to eat together in his house, so Justin doesn’t have to use as much of his money and Alex can make sure he’s inhaling actual food.

They’re doing exactly that when Alex’s dad finds them. Alex sets his food back on his plate and freezes, his eyes widening.

He tries to speak but the words catch in his throat. He’s ready to panic, but suddenly Justin’s standing from his seat and holding out a hand, that charming smile on his face. “Mr Standall, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Justin.”

Mr Standall raises a brow at them but shakes his hand. Alex straightens slightly and tries to add on an explanation. “Justin’s here for the summer. He’s running kinda low on money and he’s been sleeping in his car.”

Alex stops at that, knowing it’s less likely to work if he asks for it, but a lot more likely if his dad offers. He nods, turning to look at Justin curiously. “You look like a football player. You play football, Justin?”

Justin’s still smiling. “It’s mainly basketball, actually, but I’m on both teams, sir.”

Alex watches as his dad slowly starts to smile.

That night when they go to bed, Justin crawls in next to Alex and presses their lips together.

The spend another couple of weeks in a slightly new routine. They keep the makeshift bed on the floor to hold the pretense they need for Alex’s parents. They hold back with their affection during the day, then each night they close themselves behind Alex’s door.

They lie together on Alex’s bed, close but not touching until Justin reaches out and wraps his arms around him, pulling him in as Alex’s smiles and kisses him softly. They sleep tangled up in each other every time and for once Alex feels a deep contentedness, and he thinks Justin feels the same.

It’s two weeks before the summer ends and Alex is lying comfortably on Justin’s chest with the older boy’s arms wrapped around him when he asks the question.

“When are you going home?”

Justin stiffens underneath him. He cups a hand over Alex’s cheek and tilts his head up to look at him. “How much have you been thinking about that?”

The blonde shrugs. “I guess I wanna know how long we have left.”

Justin strokes his cheek and pulls him back into his chest, nuzzling his face into his bleached hair. “Next week,” he says quietly.

Alex nods, and presses a light kiss to his chest. Justin feels the tingle of it through his shirt. “Then we better make the most of this one.”

The day before Justin’s set to leave, Alex pulls them into his room and presses him against the door. He kisses him hard, hands winding through his dark hair as Justin’s settle against his waist.

He pulls back to trail kisses down the brunette’s neck, biting a mark into his skin. He presses close, nuzzling against Justin’s cheek. “I want you to remember this. To remember me.”

Justin breathes a laugh, his voice coming out husky. “As if I could forget.”

Alex smiles and kisses him again, softer this time but deeper as Justin runs his tongue across the seam of his lips. Alex walks backward, taking Justin with him, their mouths still connected. The back of his knees hit the bed and he lets himself fall backward, pulling Justin on top of him. His hands find their way under the other’s shirt, and he slowly drags it up his sides.

Justin pulls back and looks down at him through blown pupil’s, his breathing faster than normal. “Are you sure?” The blonde doesn’t even need to think about it. He nods.

Justin pulls his shirt over his head.

When Alex wakes up in the morning, he’s alone.

He goes through his morning in sad silence, ignoring his mother’s attempts at light conversation and his father’s curious stare.

He’s sulking alone on his sofa that evening when he gets a message.

From Justin: Where are you?

Alex sits up. He stares at it for a moment before typing a reply.

To Justin: At home. Why?

He waits anxiously until his phone beeps again.

From Justin: I’ll be there in ten minutes.

He stares in astonishment until he gets one more.

From Justin: I couldn’t leave. There’s nothing for me back there. I’ll ask your parents to help me enroll at Liberty. I love you.

Alex sinks back into the sofa, and he smiles.


	15. You're Gonna Fall Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask: 'hii honey, its me! could you write a justlex fic where they're on a school trip for three days and they have to share room and bad, and they both have a secret crush for each other?

“There’s only one bed.”

“I can see that.”

“Fuck you, Standall.”

Alex rolls his eyes. “Your vocabulary range always astounds me.”

“Dick.”

“Why is it all sexual?”

There’s silence after that and Alex turns to find Justin still staring at the room, cheeks flushed slightly. “It wasn’t sexual until you made it that way.”

“So you admit that it is sexual and it’s because of me.”

Justin punches him in the shoulder.

Alex smiles, setting his bag on the ground and turning to drop onto the bed as Justin pulls his own bag strap over his head. “Do I have to sleep on the floor now?”

The school had decided to actually take them all on a trip, and an overnight one at that. Alex had been extremely tempted to skip it, but Hannah and Jessica had nagged him for weeks, and he’d given it. He just didn’t tell them that it had been Justin’s ‘come on, Standall, it’ll be fun’ that had ultimately made his decision.

He’d still been nervous about the overnight part, and when they found out rooms and partners were designated, he knew he’d been right to be.

Boys with boys and girls with girls of course, because anything else would be inappropriate. Yeah, right. Clearly, the teachers didn’t pay much attention to their students.

Hannah and Jess had been paired together, as had Sheri and Skye. Of course, Clay had been paired with Tony. Jeff and Tyler had been paired, leaving Monty with Zach, who only managed to stop being so pissed about it because it was with the taller jock.

Which only left Alex to be paired with Justin, feeling like this was a terrible idea.

Justin throws his bag on the bed, narrowly missing Alex’s side. “It’s a double bed, no one has to sleep on the floor.”

He avoids Alex’s eyes, and the blonde realises he has been since they got here. He aims a kick at the jock’s knee, tapping it lightly and Justin’s gaze finally lands on him. Alex gives him a wide smile and watches as Justin slowly mirrors it. “Hey, it’s gonna be fun, right?”

Alex can’t tell if his smile falters or he imagines it, because in an instant it’s back in place, and he’s nodding. “Right.”

It is fun, Alex has to admit that. They’d taken them to a theme park, and even with Alex’s stomach things, he’d always had a good one when it came to amusement rides. It helped that as soon as it had come into view, Justin’s face had lit up entirely, and he hasn’t stopped grinning since.

He’s been like an overexcited child all day and Alex is surprised it hasn’t exhausted him by now; but he latches onto Alex’s arm and gives him a pleading look, eyes wide and shining.

“We gotta go on the ferris wheel before we go.”

Alex raises his brows but smiles softly. “Sure, let’s go.”

What Alex doesn’t expect is for them to get on the ride, and for Justin’s grin to drop as soon as they’re a few feet from the ground.

They’re almost at the top when he looks around them, his hands tight around the bar in front of him, knuckles white. “We’re uh, we’re pretty high.”

Alex smirks. “You say that like it’s new for you.”

Justin doesn’t reply, and it’s the silence Alex needs to realise he’s breathing a little too fast. His brow furrows and he reaches out to touch the brunette’s arm. The shift jolts the carriage slightly and Alex watches as Justin squeezes his eyes shut.

Realisation dawns. “Dude. Are you scared of heights?”

He leans forward so he can look at him better and the carriage shakes again.

“Alex,” Justin snaps. “Stop making it move.”

Alex holds his hands up in apology, holding back a laugh. “I’m not trying to, it does that itself.”

That’s exactly what happens, then. This time, Justin reaches out to grab Alex’s hand, squeezing his fingers tightly between his own.

The blonde frowns slightly, squeezing back. “Hey, it’s not that bad, is it?” Justin tugs on his hand in response, and Alex shifts closer to him. The older boy presses against his side, and doesn’t move again until the ride’s over.

Justin’s back in his good mood when they get back onto solid ground and they merge with the others again.

When it’s finally time to go back to their rooms, his smile doesn’t disappear this time. He rifles through his bag lazily for something to wear to bed as Alex stands just inside the doorway, stomach churning.

Justin realises his stillness and looks back at him, brow furrowing in concern. “You okay? You look kinda sick. Was it the rides?”

Alex shakes his head no. He does feel kind of lightheaded, but it definitely wasn’t the rides.

Justin walks towards him, his expression growing more concerned. “It’s not your, stomach things, is it?”

He shakes his head again and forces a smile. “I think I’m just tired.”

The worried look doesn’t entirely leave Justin’s eyes, but he gives a soft smile in return. “Get some sleep then.”

Alex gets changed while Justin uses the bathroom, then they switch. When he comes back out, the lights are off except the lamp on the empty side of the bed, and Justin occupies the other. It leaves it so he can only make out the main lines of the jock’s features, and they all look soft and smooth under the orangish glow.

His heart speeds up in his chest as he eases himself under the covers, flipping off the light switch as he goes. He settles as close to the edge of the mattress as he can get while keeping all of his body on it.

There’s not even a minute of silence before Justin speaks. “Standall, you’re gonna fall off the bed.”

Alex stiffens. He doesn’t move any further from the edge. He can’t. Further from the edge means closer to Justin, and in the dark in this bed he’s not sure what that would do to his head. “I’m not five years old, I’m not gonna fall off.”

The absence of that last bit of light makes it a lot harder for Alex to see the other’s face, and it calms him a little. It also means he can sense the smirk more than he can actually see it. “You fell off the bed when you were five, didn’t you?”

Alex scowls, even though Justin probably can’t tell. “Everyone falls off the bed when they’re a kid. Asshole.” He shifts slightly, and his body tips backwards, over the edge of the mattress.

He lets out a yelp, preparing himself to hit the ground but an arm catches around his waist and it never comes. Instead he’s cushioned on the soft mattress with Justin’s arm slung over his waist, hand pressing into his back to keep him there.

He’s pulled him so far into the bed that they’re on the same pillow, on Justin’s side of the bed, faces inches apart. Alex can see him clearly again; his lips are pulled up in amusement but there’s an emotion in his eyes Alex can’t figure out. It makes him squirm in the boy’s hold, and he can feel heat creep up his neck as he realises just how close they are.

“I have my own pillow,” he breathes, hands falling on Justin’s chest for lack of anywhere else to put them.  
Justin’s eyes dart between his and he grins. “I have another one you could try.”

Alex is about to question him when he’s pulled forward again. Within a second Justin’s able to maneuver them so he’s lying on his back with Alex’s head on his chest, arms wrapped around him.

His heart speeds up in his chest, but it’s somehow soothing. The arms around him are protective and he can feel Justin’s warmth through his shirt under his cheek. A pleasant feeling runs through him as Justin starts to trace patterns on his arm and he allows himself to relax, sinking against the jock and thinking he might actually get some sleep.

His eyes are just about to close some time later when Justin shifts under him.

He looks up curiously to find a mixture of annoyance and apology in his blue eyes, and he shifts again. “My arm’s starting to fall asleep.”

Alex can’t help but let out a laugh and he lifts himself up so Justin can pull his arm from under him. He settles back onto his own pillow and watches the brunette as he shakes his arm to get the blood flowing again.

He turns onto his side when he’s done and looks at Alex with a pout. “Why’d you go so far?”

“Where else did you want me to go?” Alex laughs again.

“You’ll fall off the bed again.”

“I didn’t fall off the first time!”

“Yeah but that’s ‘cause I saved you,” Justin smiles and nudges him with his foot. “Just turn around.”

Alex has the urge to argue, but Justin’s eyes are gentle with tiredness and his smile’s soft, so he complies. He flips onto his other side and almost immediately feels a weight dip the mattress behind him, before Justin’s arm falls back over his waist.

They’re spooning.

He’s sharing a room alone with Justin Foley, they’re in the same bed, and they’re spooning.

He suddenly finds it hard to breathe.

Then Justin pulls him back against his chest, hand flattening over his stomach and breath light on the back of his neck. He presses his face against Alex’s bleached hair, nosing at it lightly and Alex melts a little.

He’s had feelings for the senior for a while, and he’d always hoped they were returned but never fully let himself believe so. Now, though, he allows himself that hope, pressing back against him as Justin tangles their legs together.

Justin presses a light kiss to his nape and whispers.

“The ferris wheel wasn’t so bad with you, Standall.”


End file.
